(449cn) A New Method for on-Chip Phase Separation of Liquid-Liquid Flow in Microchannels

On-chip phase separation of parallel multiphase microflows at the end of the contacting zone is an essential basic method for the integrating of continuous microstructured devices. Since the pressure is an important parameter in determination of flow patterns in microchannels, we examined the condition of the phase separation, where it was done by changing the position of outlet tubes from their reference point. A model was developed by focusing on interfacial pressure, when pressure difference between both liquids due to back pressure as well as difference pressure loss in each phase was balanced with Laplace pressure generated by the interfacial tension of two phases. Higher and lower limits for the position of outlet tubes can be drived from this balance. Experimental results for various solvents with different physical properties agreed well with the mathematical model.